Red Joker: True Origins
by HallowBlue
Summary: Red is beginning to remember what had been kept from her for so long, and the truth isn't pretty. Who is she really? Why would Nightmare lie about her? And what will she do when she finds out? (Sequel to "Red Joker")
1. Chapter 1

Red Joker: True Origins

**Note: This is a SEQUEL to my story "Red Joker". If you want to understand anything about this story, read the original first.**

Chapter 1: Remember Me

It had been several months since the incident with the kidnapping, and so far, everything had been pretty calm. All enemies had been laying low for the most part. Even Blood had backed off for the time being. Most roleholders were relieved that Red was alright, though Blood was infuriated, which was why the Jokers are surprised that he hasn't tried anything. Red was even able to safely travel from territory to territory on her own, something she hadn't been able to do for a long time. This allowed her to see her friends whenever she wanted without having to bother any of White's employees, or worrying her older brothers. Unfortunately, they now faced another problem.

"BIG BROOOTHER!" Red's loud scream echoed down the hallway. Black groaned as he sat up in bed, reaching for his mask that he kept on his nightstand. This was the third time this week that he had been awaken in the middle of the night by Red screaming because of some horrible nightmare. At first they thought it was just a phase and it would pass, but it had been weeks now.

"We'll be right there sis." He said before setting it down and getting out of bed. He groggily crossed the room and walked out into the hallway, where he was met with White, who was also awakened by Red's screams. The two of them hurried to Red's bedroom and opened the door to see her sitting up in bed, crying hysterically, as they had expected. White immediately ran to her side and pulled her close to him.

"It's alright sweetheart. We're right here." White said in a gentle voice. Black sat down next to them and ran his fingers through her hair comfortingly.

"What was it this time sis?" Black asked, even though he knew it was pointless. She could never remember anything about her nightmares, only that they terrified her.

"I-I don't remember..." Red sniffled.

"It's alright darling. You don't have to." White said.

"We can't keep doing this. None of us have had a good night's sleep in weeks." Black said. It was true. The dark circles under their eyes proved that. Even when she didn't have nightmares, she was often too scared to sleep, which also resulted in calling for her brothers, and getting her back to sleep was never easy.

"You're right. We'll talk to Nightmare in the morning. I'm sure he can do something." White said.

"For now, let's try and get back to sleep. Do you want us to stay with you sweetheart?" White asked, although he already knew the answer, earning a nod from her. He pulled back the covers and set her back down before laying down next to her. Black laid down on the other side of her and they both held her closely, assuring her that she was safe.

It wasn't long before the Jokers fell back asleep, leaving her wide awake. She felt bad about lying to her older brothers. She did remember her nightmare, well, part of it at least, but she couldn't bring herself to tell them about it. She couldn't recall much, but what she could, terrified her.

She had been lying her bed. The room was completely dark, and that alone scared her. She tried to turn on the lamp on her nightstand, but it didn't seem to work. She then reached around her bed for Oliver, as he would at least give her some form of comfort, but the little kitten was nowhere to be found. Growing desperate, she reached for her mask, but found that was also missing.

Suddenly, her bedroom door creaked open, allowing some light into the room. She could see a figure standing in the doorway, though she couldn't tell who it was.

"Big brother?" She called out. The figure did not respond, but began walking towards her. It's walk was... odd. It looked like it was limping. She frantically began flicking the switch on her lamp, desperately hoping that it would turn on. The figure grew closer, but she was still unable to make out any of his features.

She continued flipping the switch, but never took her eyes off the figure. Finally, it turned on, illuminating the area around her. Then the figure stepped into the light. Red nearly screamed, but she couldn't find her voice. The figure was, at one point, human. It had once been a man, with messy jet black hair and one pierced ear. It had been so horribly mutilated that it had become unrecognizable. There were two gaping holes where its eyes should have been and its abdomen had been sliced open, giving her a clear view of it's insides. She was frozen in fear as it came closer, reaching its hand out towards her. It touched her, stroking the side of her face with bloody stumps where her fingers should have been, leaving a trail of blood on her cheek.

"Do you... remember me?" It whispered in low, raspy voice. And that's when she woke up.

Yeah... she definitely couldn't tell them about that. She didn't want them to worry. They were already concerned enough not knowing what her nightmares were even about. She did her best to forget about it as she curled up against Black, comforted by their presence, and tried to fall back asleep. She just hoped that Nightmare would help her.

...

The next day, the Jokers took Red and headed over to the Clover tower. Black carried her up to the tower with White following close behind. Upon knocking, they were greeted by Gray. He lead them up to Nightmares office and the Jokers took a seat in the two chairs that were placed in front of his desk while Red sat on Black's lap.

"So, I understand that little Red has been having some bad dreams, correct?" Nightmare asked, already having heard their thoughts.

"Yes, we thought you would be able to help her." White said.

"I might." Nightmare said.

"What do you mean, "Might"?!" Black demanded. He wasn't happy at all about having to go to Nightmare for help, but they had no other choice. They had tried everything they could think of with no results.

"Joker, please." White said as he sent a warning look towards his counterpart.

"As I was saying, I might be able to help her. I'll watch over her dreams and the next time she has a nightmare I'll hopefully find out what this is all about." Nightmare said.

"And then?" Black said impatiently.

"Then I'll do my best to block out whatever it that is scaring her so much." He said.

"Thank you, Nightmare." White said, as politely as he could. He wasn't happy about this whole situation either.

"Of course. Dreams are a part of my job aren't they?" Nightmare said.

"Well, if that's all, we'll be going." White said as he stood up. Black followed after him with Red in tow he headed towards the door. The door shut behind them after they left the room, leaving Nightmare alone in his office, deep in thought. He already knew what was plaguing her dreams. She couldn't stop thinking about them the entire time the Jokers were speaking to him. This worried him deeply. The man, or creature, was the one who had led her kidnapping all those months ago. The one he had made her forget. It seemed though, that her unconscious mind was beginning to remember. The barrier he had put up was breaking. That means that it won't be long before she begins to remember everything else he had kept from her.

The door opened suddenly and Gray walked in, carrying a stack of papers in his hands. Nightmare didn't even look up. Surprised that his boss didn't immediately try to run upon seeing the paperwork, he worriedly set it down on a nearby table and rushed to his side.

"Lord Nightmare, are you alright?" He asked.

"The barrier... is breaking." He mumbled to himself.

"What are you talking about?" Gray asked.

"Red is beginning to remember." Nightmare said, now speaking more clearly. Gray's eyes grew wide as he realizing what he meant.

"You don't mean..."

"Yes, Red is beginning to remember... where she really came from."

* * *

**And there you have it~ Please review and tell me what you think! **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Broken Barrier

**It's 1:00 am, therefor technically Saturday. I'm uploading this early because I'll be busy tomorrow, so enjoy ^-^**

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I'm sure Nightmare will be able to do something. Until then, you can sleep with me or Black okay?" White said as they walked away from the tower. Red didn't respond.

"Red, sweetie, are you alright?" White asked, causing her to look up from Black's shoulder. She had fallen into deep thought while they were taking her back to the circus, so she didn't notice that White had been speaking to her.

"I'm okay..." She mumbled.

"Oh, you're still tired aren't you sweetheart? Don't worry, you can have a nap as soon as we get back home okay?" White said, petting her head affectionately.

"Okay big brother." Red said before resting her head back on Black's shoulder. Honestly, sleep was last thing on her mind. She knew that Nightmare read her mind while they were talking. She couldn't stop thinking about that disturbing nightmare. He knew all about her what she had been dreaming about. She was glad that Nightmare hadn't told them about it though. Not only did she not want to worry them, but she was also afraid they might be mad that she lied to them about it. Of course they wouldn't be, but her eight year old mind didn't understand that.

Suddenly, Red felt Black's hand, that had been resting on her back, begin rubbing in small, soothing circles. Her worries melted away as her eyes began to grow heavy. Maybe sleep wasn't such a bad idea after all...

…

Nightmare paced across the room while Gray looked on worriedly. He had been contemplating what to do for the past several hours. He decided that it would be best if the Jokers found out before Red did, but how he was supposed to do that, especially without being killed in their blind fury. He sighed. He only had a little time before this became a serious problem. Only a few memories had gotten through, and for now, they were only nightmares as far as Red knew. But once she realized they were real, it will only be a matter of time before the barrier collapses completely. And then... he didn't want to think about that.

"It will be alright Lord Nightmare. You shouldn't worry so much." Gray said, but he was fully aware of how serious the matter was. Besides Nightmare, he was the only one who actually knew the truth about her.

Nightmare didn't respond. There was no way he could calm down at a time like this. Everything he had done to protect the girl was falling apart and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. He knew from the beginning that this would happen, but he didn't know it would be this soon. He wondered if he had made a mistake. Maybe he should have been truthful from the beginning. Maybe everything would've turned out alright. But... it was too late now. He just hoped that Red could handle the truth.

…

Black glanced up from his desk and looked at Red who was sleeping soundly on the couch. She had fallen asleep on the way back, so he just took her with him to his office so he could watch over her while he worked, just in case. She hadn't made a peep the entire time, which hopefully meant she was dreaming peacefully.

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't worried about her. The nightmares were clearly taking a toll on her, and he had a feeling she wasn't being entirely truthful about not being able to remember them. That alone worried him even more. It clearly wasn't a bunch of boogie man in the closet or monster under the bed stuff. There was something seriously wrong with her right now. It frustrated him that he couldn't help her, but there really wasn't anything he could do.

He noticed her shiver slightly in her sleep and realized he had forgotten to throw a blanket over her. He stood up from his desk and walked over to her side. He then slipped off his jacket and laid it over her, completely covering her small body. He gave her a small smile before returning to his desk. He may not have been able to stop her nightmares, but as her big brother he still had to do the best he could.

He continued to work until he heard Red emit a quiet whimper. He looked up at her again to see her that she was still asleep. He was tempted to wake her in fear she might be having another nightmare, but she desperately needed to catch up on sleep. She seemed to be still sleeping peacefully, so he decided to leave her be.

It was only a few minutes before he heard her stirring in her sleep again. She turned over in her sleep, letting out several whimpers, louder than first time. Setting down the pen in his hand, he quickly stood up from the desk and hurried back over to her.

"Red, are you alright? Wake up sis!" Black said frantically as he shook her gently enough to wake her. She sat up, confused and frightened as she looked around the room. She was relieved to see it had just been another nightmare. She looked up at Black who was staring at worriedly and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck, sobbing in fear.

"Hey, it's alright sis. It wasn't real." Black said as he hugged her comfortingly.

"It felt real!" Red cried. Black shoved the jacket out of the way and sat down, pulling her onto his lap.

"It was just a dream sis." He said, gently petting her head to console her.

"It was scary..." Red whimpered.

"I know sis. Do you want to tell me about it?" Black asked.

"I-I can't remember anything..." Red lied.

"Come on sis, I know that's not true." Black said, pulling back just enough to see her face.

"B-but, I really don't know..." Red said. Black gently titled her chin up and looked her in the eye.

"Don't lie to me little girl." Black said in a sterner voice than usual. He hated having to do this, but there wasn't much he do to help her if he didn't even know what her nightmares were about. He couldn't handle seeing her so frightened anymore. If he at least knew what was scaring her, he might be able to something.

"B-but I-" Red stuttered, surprised by his change in attitude. She hadn't seen him act like this in months. Ever since the incident he had been nothing but nice towards her, no matter how bad a mood he was in.

"Tell me. Now." He demanded. Shocked, and slightly hurt by tone of voice, she began to cry once again.

"I-I'm sorry... I- I just..." Red whimpered. Black was immediately overtaken by guilt and hugged her tightly, silently cursing himself for letting his frustration get the better of him.

"No sis, I'm sorry. You don't have to say anything. I'm just really worried about you." Black said. He figured Nightmare should have been watching over his dreams anyway. He would go and speak to him about it as soon as possible.

"It's okay big brother." Red said with a quiet sniffle.

"Maybe going to see your friends at the amusement park might make you feel a little better, what do you think sis?" Black asked. He didn't think it would be a good idea to bring her to discuss her dreams with Nightmare again. She clearly wasn't comfortable talking about them, and they really needed to get to the bottom of this.

"Okay..." Red mumbled.

"Hey, cheer up sis. Don't you wanna see the rat- I mean Pierce?" Black asked, trying his best not to cringe. Her cheeks immediately turned a light shade of pink as she turned away from him.

"...Maybe..." She muttered. Black couldn't help but chuckle. She was experiencing her first crush. Even he had to admit it was adorable. It almost made him not want to kill Pierce... almost.

"Alright, go on sis." Black said and Red slid off his lap and gave him a hug goodbye.

"Goodbye big brother!" Red said, already having completely forgotten how he had been acting just moments ago.

"Bye sis." Black said as she left the room. Once she was out of sight, he looked down to the mask on his hip.

"Joker, get your a** in here. We've an incubus to talk to."

**IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THOSE WHO WANT MORE TEENAGE RED: Due to so many people wanting a series centered around teenage Red, I've considered possibly writing a side story/full length story. There will probably be lots of PiercexRed since that has also been requested quite a bit. It may be an actual story, or just a series of various one-shots. It could also be published along side the sequel, or afterwards. I haven't decided on anything yet, although if it will be a full length story, It probably won't be published until afterwards. Tell me what you would prefer, story, or one-shots. Also if anyone wants to suggest anything for the story, feel free, I could use some ideas ^-^**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Truth Hurts

**Sorry for the late update, but I was busy with moving all day. Enjoy the new chapter and READ THE FREAKING NOTE AT THE BOTTOM.**

The Jokers hurried over to the Clover tower as fast as they could, desperate to see if if Nightmare had found a solution or not. Without bothering to knock, they burst into the tower, shoving the faceless servants out of the way as they made their way up to Nightmares office. He didn't even jump as the door was thrown open, as he had been expecting them.

"It happened again. Did you see it or not?" Black demanded, slamming his hands down on his desk.

"Please, Joker, calm down. Yes, I did see her dream, and if you would kindly sit down I will gladly tell you about it." Nightmare said. Black grumbled as the two of them sat down.

"Good. Now, I'm afraid I have a bit of bad news..."

…

Red walked through the forest on her own. She had considered bringing at least one of White's employees along, but she decided against it. They had all seemed so busy that she didn't bother with it. She had gone alone to the amusement park so many times that it didn't seem necessary.

She was still thinking about her nightmare. It was different from the previous ones she'd had. She had found herself tied to a chair surrounded by three faceless men. They were taunting her relentlessly as she struggled to free herself. Ropes were tied around her wrists and ankles, and a gag was tied around her mouth. She didn't know how she got there, and she wasn't sure who those people were, although one of them vaguely reminded her of the mutilated creature that kept haunting her dreams.

She remembered that one of the faceless men had taken a cigarette from his mouth and pressed it against the back of her neck. Even though it was just a dream, she could've sworn she felt it. It hurt so much. Just the thought made her cringe.

Without thinking about it, she reached behind her head and felt the base of her neck. She gasped when she found something that felt like a scar. Before she could react, she noticed two figures up ahead. Squinting, she saw it was the bloody twins. She groaned internally. She hadn't seen any sign of them except when they showed up for the circus shows. Even then they didn't bother her. Was it just a coincidence that they were here?

Red stopped in her tracks as she looked ahead. They were facing towards her, each holding an axe in their hand. She hadn't had any problems with them in so long, she had no idea why they would start harassing her now. She felt her pockets and realized she hadn't brought her weapon with her. Not like it would've helped her at all.

"Oh Reeed~! We wanna play!" They said as they stepped towards her. Not again.

"Now that we know you can't die, killing you will be even more fun!" Dee said.

"Cause then we can do it all over again!" Dum added. Red wasted no time turning around and running off as fast as she could. She couldn't believe they were at it again. She knew her brothers wouldn't be happy. It wouldn't surprise her if they stormed right up to the mansion gates and tried to kill the both of them.

Red could hear their hurried footsteps not far behind her. She knew she would be caught if she didn't do something. She quickly ducked through the bushes off the path and ran blindly through the forest. She didn't know the forest very well, but she'd sooner get herself lost in the woods before she would deal with the bloody twins. She may have been able to give them a punch in the face in the past, but her little fists didn't stand a chance again the axes they were wielding.

She ran until she could no longer hear them chasing after her. They were relentless. They had chased her halfway into the forest before giving up. She stopped, panting heavily, and looked around. She didn't have a clue where she was. She didn't think she had ever been this far into the forest before. Oh well, she had her mask. She could just call her big brothers for help. As she reached up for her mask, she felt something drip on the top of her head. Then she felt another drop, and then another, and then another. Glancing up, she saw raindrops that had begun to fall from the sky. Just great. Judging by the way the sky looked, it wasn't going to be just a light shower. Great. Just Great.

…

"Are you f***ing serious?!" Black shouted as he jumped out of his chair. Gray, who was standing by the desk, immediately drew his knives to protect his boss.

"That won't be necessary Gray." Nightmare said.

"And I'm afraid that I am serious. It won't be long before Red is able to remember her kidnapping." Nightmare continued.

"What do you suggest we do?" White asked.

"I think it would be best if she found out from you two first." Nightmare said.

"You're saying we should tell her?" Black questioned.

"I think she would take it better that way rather than finding out on her own." He said.

"I guess you're right. We'll tell her as soon as-"

"Big brother?" Red's frightened voice suddenly interrupted them.

"Yes, what is it sweetheart? Are you alright?" White asked, looking down at his mask.

"I'm lost big brother! The bloody twins chased me into the forest and I can't find my way back! And it's starting to rain!" Red cried.

"Don't worry sweetie. We'll come find you. Find somewhere safe from the storm alright?" White said.

"Okay big brother. Hurry, please!" Red said before the mask clicked off.

"It looks like we'll be going then. Come along, Joker. We need to find her before the storm rolls in."

…

Red continued to walk through the forest, looking out for any kind of shelter. The rain had picked up a bit, and she was getting fairly soaked. She needed to get out of the rain before she got sick. The sky was getting darker, and it wouldn't be long before she wouldn't be able to see at all. She really hoped her big brothers found her soon.

Suddenly, the time of day changed to night. She couldn't see a thing and it was raining harder than ever. Knowing that staying in the forest wouldn't help her at all, she decided to keep walking despite not being able to see anything.

She was terrified as she cautiously walked through the pouring rain. She was already completely soaked, her sopping wet clothing hanging off her body and water dripping from her hair. She almost wished she would run into Ace. Even being stuck in a tent with that psycho was better than being in the rain. There was a sudden flash of lighting and she felt something grab her shoulder. She let out a shriek before she was spun around. She was relieved to see it was only Pierce.

"Red chu~! Are you okay? What are you doing out here?" Pierce asked worriedly.

"The bloody twins chased me out here. Now I'm lost." Red explained.

"They chased me too chu~! But it's okay, because we're together now!" Pierce said. This made Red smile.

"Yeah! And my big brothers will find us soon!" Red exclaimed.

"H-huh? Y-you mean..." Pierce stuttered, his face turning pale.

"Yeah, they're coming to get me! Is something wrong?" Red asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"D-don't they h-hate me?" Pierce asked timidly.

"Well... Black pretty much hates everybody and I don't know about White. But don't worry, I won't let either of them hurt you. I promise." Red said. Pierce still looked nervous, but smiled at her.

"Let's try and get out of the rain for now, okay?" Pierce said as he began to lead her away.

…

The two of them sat on a fallen log while Pierce held his jacket over their heads to prevent the rain from soaking them further. Red sat rather close to him, both out of fear from the storm and because she was freezing from her dripping wet clothes. With his hands occupied by holding up his jacket, he was unable to offer any other form of comfort.

They sat in silence, the only sounds being that of the storm. An occasional flash of lightning lit up the forest, causing Red to sink deeper and deeper into Pierce's side, hanging onto him tightly despite the growing blush on her face. She was too cold and afraid to care that she was practically sitting on his lap. She hoped her big brothers would show up soon. As much as she enjoyed spending time with Pierce, she didn't want to be stuck out in this storm any longer.

Pierce felt bad that he couldn't do anything to comfort her, so he just stayed still and let her cling to his side. He didn't like the storm either, but he felt as though he had to put on a brave face for Red's sake. She was only eight years old, while he himself was practically an adult. Well, late teens anyway. He felt a need to protect her, which was difficult, considering he could barely protect himself. Although, the fact that if anything happened to her on his behalf would result in him being slaughtered by the Jokers definitely helped motivate him.

He was able to relax a bit now, though. The Jokers wouldn't find them for some time, so he didn't have to worry about that for now. He never really understand their, mostly the warden's, hatred towards him. She had befriended plenty of other roleholders, but they paid them no mind. He had even saved her from certain danger numerous times, but it seemed to make no difference to them. Why was it him that they had a problem with? Though, besides themselves and Alice, he had the closest relationship with her out of all the other roleholders. Was it jealously? Could they not stand to see someone else stealing her attention? Someone else having that look of adoration of hers intended for someone other than themselves?

Pierce glanced down at the little girl who clung to his side so desperately. He noticed her cheeks were glowing bright red again. The rain must be making her cold. He suddenly hoped that the Jokers would hurry up and find them, just so that she could get out of this storm. He knew that the warden wouldn't be happy seeing them like this, but Red had already promised that he wouldn't be an issue. As intimidating as the Jokers may be, they are no match for Red. If she tells them not to hurt him, they'll listen. After all, what they really want is for Red to be happy, even if that means resisting the urge to kill Pierce.

A sudden snap caused him to look up. Two figures emerged from the trees and Pierce immediately stiffened in fear. As they came closer, a look of pure rage could be seen on Black's face as he saw how close the two were. White didn't seem to react at all as he came into view, holding an umbrella over both of their heads.

"Big brother?" Red whimpered as she looked up, but didn't release her grip on Pierce. Black did his best to ignore the frightened mouse as he walked over to her. She eventually let go of Pierce once Black got close to her and latched onto him instead.

"It's alright sis. We're gonna take you home." Black said as he lifted her up. He quickly shot a glare towards Pierce, and although brief, it definitely got the message across. Pierce flinched and jumped back, which went unnoticed by Red, who had her face buried in Black's shoulder. White joined them and held the umbrella over the three of them, effectively shielding them from the rain.

"Let's go darling, before you catch a cold." White said as they began to walk away.

"But what about-" Red started, looking up at the log where Pierce once sat. The timid mouse was nowhere to be seen.

"Hmm? What was that sweetie?" White asked as he turned to look at her.

"Nothing..." Red mumbled, slightly disappointed that she hadn't even been able to say goodbye. She had barely said anything at all to him the entire time because she was so scared. Resting her head back down on Black's shoulder, she stayed silent for the rest of the way back.

…

Upon returning home, Red was given a hot bath and dressed in the warmest nightgown she had. The Jokers then took her to White's bedroom and settled down on the couch in front of the fireplace. Despite her saying she was warm enough, they wrapped her in a heavy blanket and had her drink a cup of hot tea. After they were certain that she wouldn't catch a cold from being out in the rain, they finally decided it was time to tell her the truth.

"Red... sweetie, there's something we need to talk to you about." White began.

"What is it big brother?" Red asked, leaning up against Black's side.

"It's about your nightmares darling." He said.

"W-what about them?" Red asked, the tone of his voice making her uneasy.

"You see, they aren't just nightmares. They're memories." White said.

"H-huh? What do you mean? That stuff never happened... right?" Red questioned nervously.

"I'm afraid it did sweetheart. We thought it would be better if you couldn't remember, so Nightmare took them from you. We just wanted you to be happier... but it seems that the memories are coming back." White said.

"We just wanted to tell you before you found out for yourself sis." Black said in the most gentle voice in could manage.

"B-but..." Red stuttered, unable to understand what they were telling her.

"And darling, you're going to remember something that we did. It's going to scare you, but I hope you won't think too poorly of us." White said.

"I don't care what you did big brother! I'll love you no matter what!" Red exclaimed. White chuckled lightly and patted her on the head.

"I really hope so sweetheart. Don't think about too much right now. Just try and rest if you can." White said.

"Okay big brother..." Red said as she laid her head on Black's shoulder, curling up against him. She was nervous about what they had told her of course, but it wouldn't do her any good to worry about it. Besides, she was certain that it wouldn't change the way she thought of them at all. They were her big brothers and she loved them. She would always love them. At least... that's what she thought.

**SUPER IMPORTANT ANNOUNCMENT! SERIOUSLY, F***ING READ THIS.**

**Arice215, a very wonderful person on Deviantart, is in the process of turning Red Joker into a COMIC SERIES. How freaking awesome is that?! Although it isn't up yet, it should be soon, so I thought I'd give you all a heads up. I'll put a link to her page on my profile and feel free to tell her how amazing she is for doing this. Keep on the lookout for it and I'll announce when it's up~ **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Back to Normal?

**I know I don't normally update on Thursdays anymore, but I'll be busy all weekend and won't be able to post this, and since I missed last Saturday (Sorry about that by the way) I really didn't want to go two weeks without an update. So enjoy the early/late chapter and if you want more info on the comic, there is a link on my profile that should tell you everything you need to know.**

Nightmare sat at his desk, piles of unfinished paperwork spilling off the top and onto the floor. With the problems that had resurfaced lately, he couldn't be bothered with work. Gray didn't even try to force him, as he knew the matter at hand was much more important.

Nightmare knew that she would remember by the time she woke up. He had made it so. There was no point in hiding it, as the Jokers had already told her themselves. He was relieved to have at least gotten that out of the way. But, the barrier was still weakening. He wasn't sure how long it would be before he had to tell the Jokers the whole truth. That little memory that had slipped through was nothing in comparison to what was to come.

Red should be alright for now, but it could be as little as a few weeks before a much more serious problem emerges. He would inform the Jokers first of course, although he would prefer to put that off as long as possible. They would be angry, no, furious, when they learned what he had been hiding from them. He had tried so hard to keep her true identity a secret, and now it was all falling apart. From this point on, there was truly absolutely nothing he could do but watch it unfold.

...

Red opened her eyes to find that they were still sitting on the couch. She was now sitting on Black's knees with her head rested against his chest. She remembered the kidnapping. She remembered everything. She looked up at the Jokers, who had also fallen asleep. That man... she knew what they did to that man. She had been so afraid back then, but, now, it didn't seem nearly as bad. They had only done it to protect her, and sure, they might have overdone it, but only because they loved her. She wasn't angry with them, or afraid of them. No matter what they did to others, they would never hurt her. She glance up at Black, who still had his arms wrapped around her, still protective, even in his sleep.

"Big brother?" Red said. Black groaned as he opened his eyes, about to snap at whoever had woken him before realizing it was only Red.

"Oh, hey sis. You alright?" Black asked. Red stayed silent for a few moments before saying what was on her mind.

"I... remember." Red said quietly. Black looked down at her with eyes full of regret before hugging her.

"I'm so sorry sis." Black mumbled. Red didn't say anything and just let him hug her for a few more minutes, clearly blaming himself the entire time.

"It's okay big brother." Red said after a long silence.

"No, it's not. It's not okay at all." Black said, keeping his eye shut, refusing to look at her. Frowning, she stretched up towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck before giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"I said, It's okay big brother." This time, he turned and looked at her.

"I said I'd always love you, no matter what." Red said with a weak smile. Black sighed, but what Red said caused him to lighten up a bit.

"But, will you promise me something big brother?" Red asked.

"What is it sis?" Black asked.

"Promise me you won't hurt anybody anymore, unless you really have too." Red asked, looking him directly in the eye with an almost pleading look. Black hesitated before answering.

"...Okay sis, I promise." Black said.

"Swear?" Red said, holding up her pinky and trying to look as serious as possible. Black chuckled and entwined his own around hers, which was a bit comical seeing as his was easily three times the size of hers.

"I swear." Black said. By that he meant, he would definitely continue to thoughtlessly harm and kill anyone he felt like, he would just make sure she didn't see it. But that seemed like it was enough for her, so she just smiled and hugged him again.

Suddenly, they heard a noise from across from them. Looking over,they saw that White had just woken up. He was about to ask what was going on, but one look from Black told him everything he needed to know. He looked at Red worriedly, but seeing the smile on her face assured him she was alright.

"Don't you have work to do?" White asked. Black grumbled before answering.

"Yeah yeah." He muttered before setting Red down and standing up.

"I guess I'll be going then. See ya sis." Black said, placing his hat on his head and heading out the door. White then turned to Red, pleased to have gotten rid of his other half. It seemed like she was giving Black more attention than himself lately. It almost made him jealous. He really hoped that Black wasn't her favorite of the two of them. The thought nearly broke his clock in two. Even if they were technically one person, he would still rather be the preferred half. So of course, he wanted her to direct her attention towards himself a bit. Besides, he wanted to make sure she really was alright. This was the perfect chance to cheer her up a bit.

"Sweetheart, how would you like to help me in the circus today~? There's going to be a show in just a few time periods~!" White asked in the sweetest voice he could manage.

"Okay big brother!" Red said as she hopped off the couch. White chuckled at her enthusiasm as he stood up and took her by the hand.

"Let's go then, shall we?"

…

After Red got changed out of her nightgown, White took her out of the prison and brought her to the circus. It had been a little while since the last time she helped out, and even longer since the last time she performed. She only performed every once in awhile, and it was never anything big, just an act or two, mostly assisted by White. White was convinced that she would be a star performer by the time she reached her teen years, while Black was still secretly hoping she would toughen up and help out in the prison. Each of them just wanted little Red to follow in their footsteps. Neither one of their wishes were all that realistic, but they could dream.

"What do you want me to do big brother?" Red asked once they had walked gotten to the circus. White paused and thought for a moment. He hadn't really thought that far. He just wanted take her mind off the whole ordeal. He tried to think of something that was neither too hard or too dangerous for her to do. Unfortunately, this was in fact a circus, so there weren't a whole lot of safe, easy jobs available.

"I know, why don't you just sit down and watch the performers practice?" White suggested. Red frowned.

"That's not helping!" Red protested with a pout.

"Of course it is! I'll be practicing too, and I know I'll perform much better knowing that you're watching~!" White said. Red looked at him doubtfully for a moment before giving in.

"Okay..." She said before sitting down in one of the seats closest to the stage. White smiled at her before joining the other practicing performers.

Red was only really paying attention for about ten minutes before her attention started to wander. She had seen every single one of the acts at least twenty times already. Sure, she was amazed, at least for the first three times. Now she could hardly bother to watch.

It didn't take long for White to realize that she wasn't looking at him. Although slightly disappointed, he wasn't surprised. He knew she had seen it all before. He really had been meaning to think up some new acts, but he had never gotten around to it. He knew that it was going take more to make her happy. That was his job after all.

Since Red wasn't watching him, he was able to slip away without her noticing. He took a quick visit to the tent where the animals were kept and returned only a few minutes later and crept up beside her, holding several baby bunnies in his arms. After all, what does Red love more than cute animals?

Red had her head turned away from him, so she didn't notice as he snuck up on her. She only realized that someone was standing behind her when she felt something fuzzy against her neck. Turning around, she saw a pair of little red eyes staring back at her.

White was kneeling down next to her with three little bunnies peaking up at her from his arms. One of them jumped out of his arms and onto her lap. It stood up on his hind legs and put its paws on her chest, his little pink nose twitching adorably.

"I think he likes you~" White said. Red's eyes lit up with happiness at the mass of furry cuteness that he had brought her, causing him to grin triumphantly. The other two followed the first and climbed up onto her shoulders. Red giggled as their curious noses tickled her face.

"They can keep you company while I'm busy with practice. How does that sound?" White asked, but she was too busy with the bunnies that were climbing all over her to answer. Her cheerful expression was enough of an answer for him. He smiled at her before returning to the other performers. He couldn't help but glance back at her one last time, seeing her smiling and laughing as she played with them, not even thinking about what had happened earlier that day. He was relieved that she had taken the situation so well, and that they had avoided yet another problem. Hopefully now everything would go back to the way it was.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Favorite

**It's late, it's short, and nothing really happens. This chapter is more of a filler than anything. But, if you haven't already seen it, I uploaded a new series, Red Joker: The Teen Years. Go ahead and read it if you haven't already.**

White kept a close eye on Red as he practiced with the other performers. There was nothing to worry about, as she was still happily playing with the rabbits on the floor. After awhile, he noticed Black walk into the tent. He scowled. Wasn't he working? He couldn't be finished already, could he?

"What do you have there sis?" Black asked as he sat down on the ground in front of her.

"White let me play with the bunnies!" Red said as she held up the one in her arms.

"Is that so?" Black said, cringing as one of them hopped up onto his knee. He was tempted to throw it off, but seeing as that would obviously upset Red, he let it be. This turned out to be a mistake when the other two followed after the first and climbed up on him, one sitting on his shoulder while the other rested on his head. His eye twitched as he did his best not to show his displeasure of the situation.

"They like you big brother~!" Red giggled. As much as he hated the fluffy little creatures climbing all over him, he would endure it if it made her smile.

"Done with work already?" White asked with a hint of bitterness in his voice as he walked over. He had decided to end practice early for the day. Red didn't notice the annoyed look on his face, but Black did. He decided just to ignore it.

"Most of it, yeah. I've still got a bit of paperwork to do, but it can wait." Black replied dismissively. He could care less about paperwork, as he was still worried about Red. He was relieved to see her happy, at least.

"If it is Red you are concerned about, she is fine. Aren't you sweetie?" White said, his voice turning sugary sweet at the last sentence as he sat down and pulled her onto his lap, arms wrapped possessively around her, like a child not wanting to share their favorite toy.

"Yeah! I'm okay big brother!" Red exclaimed. Black gave her a half smile and patted her on the head, not catching the dirty look White sent him.

"Good to hear sis." Black said.

"See? She's absolutely fine. No need to worry. You can go finish the work that is piling up in your office. I can take care of little Red just fine." White said, which was basically his way of telling him to f*** off. Black could tell that White was trying to get rid of him, and he knew why. They were the same person after all. There wasn't a whole lot they could hide from each other.

Since they were the same person, you would think that jealously wouldn't be an issue. Normally, it isn't. But when the little girl that they both loved so much is with one more than the other, it may cause some hostility between the two. It wasn't really Red preferring him over White, as she loved them both equally. No, it was Black who was the one showering her with affection. It was his way of making up for the times when he was so cold towards her. No matter how many times Red said she forgave him, he still felt guilty. Maybe he was even slightly afraid that she favored White more because of it.

Figuring White would just get over it if he let him have some time with her, he decided to leave the two of them alone. He really did need to get that paperwork done anyway.

"Alright, alright, I'll go finish the fu- freaking paperwork." Black said, remembering to censor himself as he pulled the rabbit off his head and handed it to Red. The other two jumped off of him as he stood up and returned to her.

"Do you have to go big brother? I want you to stay and play with me!" Red said with a disappointed look. Black nearly burst out laughing at the look of betrayal on White's face.

"Sorry sis, but my work isn't gonna do itself. Don't worry, It won't take long." Black said before walking out of the tent. Red had hoped he would stay a bit longer, but she couldn't stay upset for long. The bunnies that climbed up on her and White made sure of that.

"It's okay sweetie, we can still spend time together~!" White said. Red turned and smiled at him.

"Okay big brother!" Red chirped happily. White was relived. He was almost afraid that she wouldn't be satisfied with just him to play with.

"How about we put these little guys back and then we can have some fun~?" White said. Red nodded and got up off his lap, carrying one of the rabbits in one arm. With the other two on his shoulders, he stood up and took Red by her free hand and guided her out of the tent.

…

After putting the bunnies back into their cage, the two of them walked out of the tent hand-in-hand. Glad that now her attention was focused on him and him alone, instead of Black or even the bunnies, White was finally able to relax.

"So darling, what do you want to do?" White asked as they walked aimlessly through the circus. Red looked around thoughtfully for a moment before shrugging.

"I don't know." She said. White thought for a moment. This was a circus. Surely there was something the two of them could do together.

"Red, after all they time you've lived with us, you've never really experienced the circus before have you?" White asked.

"What do you mean? I been here a bunch of times!" Red said.

"Of course, but have you ever had any fun?" White asked. Red tilted her in confusion.

"I always have fun when I'm with you big brother!" Red said. White stopped in his tracks and looked down at her for a few seconds before lifting her up into his arms. There was no way she could say something that cute and expect not to get hugged.

"Oh sweetheart, you're just too adorable!" White gushed as he squeezed her. Red blushed, embarrassed by all the attention they were drawing. Most of the workers had turned to see what was going on, and were emitting various "Awws".

"Come on sweetie, we can have fun together all day~. Or at least until Mr. Grumpy comes to snatch you away~!" White said cheerfully before carrying her off.

…

White carried her around the circus for the next several hours, playing games with her, showing her the animals, stuffing her with sugary sweets, and basically spoiling her in every way possible. She was happy, so he knew he had done his job well. He had just finished trying to teach her how to play darts, which obviously wasn't going well, when one of his workers ran up to him.

"Joker sir! One of the tigers has gotten out of it's cage!" He exclaimed frantically. White only sighed, for he was used to dealing with this sort of thing on a daily basis.

"Looks like that's the end of our fun for today. I'm sure Black is finished by now, why don't you go and see him?" White suggested. Although slightly disappointed, she just chirped an "Okay big brother!" and skipped off to find Black

**Hope you enjoyed this uneventful chapter... It's 4:00 in the morning. I'm going to bed.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: A "Family" Outing

**It's early, It's long, and some stuff happens. In case you didn't know, I've changed my update schedule. Check out the latest chapter of Red Joker: The Teenage Years for more info on that. Enjoy. **

Red quickly spotted Black in the hallway as she arrived in the prison. She hurried towards him and tugged at the bottom of his jacket to get his attention.

"Hey there sis. Escaped from White already?" Black asked as he turned around.

"He had to go..." Red said with a small pout. Chuckling, he ruffled her hair affectionately.

"It's alright sis. I'm not busy right now." Black said. Red immediately perked up.

"Will you play with me then?" Red asked with wide, bright eyes. Although he had no idea what she went by "play", how could he possibly say no?

"Alright, what did you have in mind?" He asked, knowing he would regret it. She thought for a second before grabbing him by his hand and pulling him into her bedroom. She glanced around her bedroom before spotting her vanity sitting across the room. With a mischievous grin, she lead him over to it and having him sit down in front of it. He realized what she was planning, but he couldn't find it in him to object.

"Are you trying to torture me?" Black asked. Giggling, Red shook her head.

"Of course not big brother!" She said before turning to look at what she had in her vanity. Most of it was just play make up made especially for little girls. Realizing that any game she could come up with would be just as bad, whether it be a tea party, a game of dress up, or dolls, he just decided to let her have her fun. He just hoped to hell that nobody saw him.

Red grabbed a little toy makeup kit that had been sitting in the drawer. Flipping the lid, she looked over at what she had. Lip gloss, glitter, stick-on jewels, a few temporary tattoos, and a bottle of pink nail polish. Taking a look inside, Black cringed, but he knew it was too late. He rarely had time to spend with her anyway, apart from the times she played in his office while he worked. If he were to back out now after already agreeing to play with her, it would break her little heart.

Red began to apply glittery pink lip gloss to his lips while he did his best to sit still. Afterwords, she moved on to the glitter, dabbing it on random areas on his face. Satisfied with her work, she set the glitter down and picked up the nail polish. Black turned and looked at himself in the mirror. The sight was unbearable. His face sparkled with heavy amounts of glitter, and his lips were a shiny bright pink from the layer of lip gloss. Just what had happened to him? He was once the most feared roleholder in wonderland, and now look at him, letting an eight year old girl give him a makeover. What would everyone think if they saw him now?

He glanced back down at the little girl who was carefully painting his nails a florescent pink color. It was going to take forever to get it all off, especially since she was getting more nail polish on his fingertips rather than his nails. He highly doubted there was any nail polish remover included in the make up kit either.

She finally finished up and screwed the cap back on the bottle before setting it back down on the vanity. Taking a step back to admire her work, she couldn't help but think that something was missing. Rummaging through another drawer, she pulled out a black polka dotted bow. Clipping it onto his hair, she grinned triumphantly.

"There, All done!" She exclaimed before giggling at how ridiculous he looked. Black then felt a sly grin creep onto his face. Red stopped laughing when he stood up from his seat with a suspicious look.

"Now then, why don't you give your big brother a hug?" He asked, holding his arms out and leaning down towards her. Her eyes grew wide, realizing that her makeover would soon be all over her. She turned and was about to run, but he snatched her up from behind, careful not to dirty her clothes with his fingers that were still wet with nail polish. Then he gave her a kiss on the cheek, smearing the lip gloss on her face, partially out of sincere affection, and partially out of revenge. She scowled in disgust, looking up at him with an adorable glare.

"Now we're even." He said with a grin. At that moment, the door opened and Black froze. He was almost relieved to see it was only his counterpart, but he still would have preferred nobody knowing about this. White just stared at him with a wide smirk on his face.

"Don't. Say. A. Word." Black threatened. Holding up his hands defensively, he walked over and took Red from his arms.

"I was just coming to ask if you two would like to join me in a trip to town. I have some supplies for the circus I need to pick up, and I remember that you needed to place an order for some new locks, correct?" White asked.

"Yeah yeah, just give me a second." Black said and headed over to the door.

"Why? You already have your makeup on." White said with a cheeky grin. After flipping him off, Black left the room. White chuckled and led Red into the connecting bathroom. Setting her down on the counter, he grabbed a washcloth and wiped off the spot of lip gloss. It took a bit of scrubbing, but he got it off.

"There we go." White said with a smile as he lifted her up.

"Let's go see how Black is doing." He said, exiting the bathroom and out of her bedroom into the hallway.

"Joker, are you ready yet?" White asked as he knocked on the door. After a few moments, the door swung open and Black stepped out. His face was free of lip gloss and glitter, although the red marks showed that it had taken a bit of effort. He had even managed to scrape off most of the pink nailpolish.

"Yeah, I'm ready. Let's just get this over with!" Black said as he started to walk off. White was about to make a comment, but held it back. It'd be funnier if he figured it out on his own anyway.

...

There was just a few things that the Jokers needed to get in town, so it wasn't supposed to take long at all. They just needed some paint for the circus and some new locks for the prison. They were headed down to the locksmith when White turned to Black.

"Here, you take Red and go take care of the locks. I'll go and get what I need for the circus." White said as he handed Red over to him before turning and heading off down the street.

The locksmith was just around the corner. He brought Red into the shop and set her down as he approached the counter with her following close behind. Hearing the door open, the shopkeeper hurried up to the front. He was taken aback for a moment seeing who his customers was, but regained his composure once he saw the little girl at his side. He was never as frightening when Red was with him. Black calmly placed an order for thirty new locks and managed to do so without swearing even once. That was something that nobody had gotten used to. It was odd how his attitude shifted so easily when she was around. That is, unless someone tried to harm her, touch her, look at her the wrong way, ect.

The entire transaction took roughly five minutes at most, and then left the shop with Red in tow. Black couldn't help but notice that the shopkeeper was looking at him oddly the entire time, as if he was holding back laughter. There wasn't much he could do while Red was with him, so he just blew it off. White should be finishing up by now, so Black just decided to met him there. They arrived just in time to see White walking out of the shop, carrying a can of red paint.

"Is that everything?" Black asked.

"That should be it." White confirmed and they headed back down the street. They were on the way back towards the circus when something caught White's eye. He spotted a normal faceless family of three, a mother, a father, and their young daughter. The father was holding what looked like a family portrait and thanking a man, who White assumed was the artist. It seemed he was a painter that did portraits alongside the road. He stopped for second and glanced down at Red who he was still holding in his arms, and then over at Black. Hmm...

...

"I can't believe you talked me into this." Black grumbled as he tried to stay still.

"Oh come now, don't you think this is a good idea?" White said as he held Red on his lap, who fidgeted impatiently as they waited for the painter to finish.

"I need to get back to the prison. Is this really necessary?" Black groaned.

"It won't take long. Won't it be worth it to have this when she's older? She won't stay little forever Joker." White said. Black rolled his eyes, but didn't protest any further. About ten minutes later, the painter finished.

"There. That's all I need. You may go and pick it up later." He said. After thanking him in advance, White took Red and left the painter to his work with Black following after.

"Now was that so bad?" White asked as they walked along the sidewalk. Black only grumbled in response. The question was what to do next, seeing as they had already taken care of everything they needed to do for the day. He glanced at the shops that lined the street and thought for a moment. Noticing a restaurant not far from where they were, he suggested that they grabbed a bite to eat. It was around lunch time anyway, so Black agreed.

…

Sitting in a booth at the far end of the restaurant, Red sipped the strawberry milkshake that White had ordered for her while the Jokers looked over the menu. White sat next to Red on one side of the table, while Black sat on the other. It was odd for the three of them to be out together like this. No matter how much they ignored it, they would never be anything close to a normal family. The stares of the faceless whenever they were seen together in public was a reminder of that. Red of course was oblivious to this, but the Jokers weren't.

The waitress soon came back to take their orders, not without commenting on how adorable their "daughter" was. Neither Joker bothered to correct her, seeing as it was pretty much assumed by anyone that didn't know the true story. Black also noticed how the waitress kept staring at him, much like the shopkeeper. He didn't comment on it once again and ordered for himself. Seeing as Red wasn't a picky eater, White had ordered for her.

While they were waiting for their food, Red just doodled aimlessly on the paper placemat in front of her with the crayons the waitress had given her. White watched Red draw with an amused smile while Black just sat and thought about what the hell was so funny. Had he missed some of the glitter? No, he was sure of that. He sighed to himself and turned his attention to Red and White. They really did look out of place here. Glancing around the room, he saw many faceless families scattered throughout the restaurant. Huh, was that what they were? A family? It was a hard concept to comprehend.

"Aw, that's very nice sweetie." White's voice suddenly interrupted his train of thought. Turning back to them, he saw that Red had finished a drawing and was proudly showing it off to White.

"Here sis, let me see." Black said, holding out his hand. Red grinned and handed it over. Taking a look at it, he couldn't help but smile. It was a drawing of the three of them together, and although it was obviously the work of a child, it was still better than anything he could find hanging in a museum. They were scribbled in the center of the paper, with the background being the circus on White's side of the page, transitioning into the prison on Black's side, with Red in the middle, one half of her in the circus, with the other half in the prison. For an eight year old, it was pretty creative.

"It's great sis." Black said sincerely and handed it back to her.

Only a few minutes later, the waitress returned with their food. White had ordered way too much for little Red, insisting that she was too skinny anyway. How, nobody was quite sure considering White was constantly giving her candy and sweets. The waitress had even given her a free dessert, purely because she was just so cute. In the end, Red was only able to finish just half of what she had been given, which was still quite a bit.

"Hold still sis, you've got something on your face." Black said and did the motherly act of rubbing the spot off her cheek with his thumb. He noticed White grinning at him and glared.

"Shut up." He growled. They didn't stick around long afterwords. Shortly after paying, they left the restaurant. Before that, when nobody was looking, Black made sure to fold up Red's drawing and slip it into his pocket.

Since they had taken quite awhile in the restaurant, they thought for sure that painter had finished and headed back that way. Sure enough, when they arrived, he had it all ready for them. White eagerly took the portrait, and nearly burst out laughing.

"What? What's so funny?" Black demanded as he took it from him. Upon looking at it, he realized why everyone had been staring at him so oddly all day. He reached up to his hair for conformation and touched what had been drawing so much attention. He had forgotten to take off the bow.

"And you didn't think to tell me?!" Black said, turning to White angrily. He considered punching him in the face, but Red's laughter stopped him. That laugh. Why did that laugh always make him forget his anger? He sighed and handed the painting over to White.

"Okay, okay, let's just go." Black said and picked Red up off the ground. With one last chuckle, White thanked the man again and paid for the portrait. Red let out a quiet yawn as she rested her head on Black's shoulder. The day's events, coupled with the excessive amounts of food, had made her sleepy. But, she was happy. It had been so long since the three of them had spent any time together. It was hard to believe that the day had started out so unpleasantly.

…

By the time they had returned home, Red was already fast asleep. Before putting her to bed though, White made sure to hang up the portrait in the hall across from their bedrooms.

"There. Perfect." White said as he stepped back to admire it. Black only cringed. That image of him was now hanging in the hallway, and was going to be there for years to come. So much for nobody knowing about that humiliating moment. Ignoring the picture on the wall, he turned and took Red to her bedroom. As much as his pride had been damaged, he didn't regret anything about that day. Like he'd say so many times before, he'd endure anything, as long as it made Red happy.

**R.I.P. Black's masculinity. Thought I'd throw in some fluff and humor before sh** gets serious. Also, thanks to silkdreamweaver for suggesting the portrait idea. **


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: A House in the Woods

Upon waking up the next day, Red could tell that it was still early. Maybe early enough that Black was still there. Both of them always left for work long before she ever woke up, but she could always go and see White in the circus whenever she wanted to. Black on the other hand was pretty much unavailable until he finished. She got dressed quickly and went out to the hallway, where she noticed something lying on the ground. As she came closer, she discovered it was Black's keyring. He must have dropped it, which was unusual for him. She picked it up and tapped the mask on her bow.

"Big brother! You dropped your keys!" Red called into the mask. No answer. He had forgotten to turn it on. Now what?

She looked at the keys in her hand and thought about what to do. Black couldn't get much done without his keys, and since it was still early, he couldn't have been very far away. She knew she had been told many times not to go into that area of the prison alone, and especially after remembering what had happened the last time she had, she was really reluctant to do so. After a moment of contemplating, she decided that he was probably just down the hall, and she wouldn't go to far. If she had gotten to the end of the hallway and didn't see him, she would just turn back.

Satisfied with her decision, she headed down the hallway and pushed past the heavy metal doors that separated the living quarters from the rest of the prison. She didn't see Black in the hall, but he could still be close. As she walked further, she began to hear something. She recognized it as Black's shouting. She picked up her pace and hurried towards the sound. But as she grew closer, she heard something else. She couldn't tell exactly what it was, but it sounded like a cracking sound followed by a snapping sound. She stopped right before turning the corner and decided to take a quick peek just in case there was anything dangerous going on. Poking her head around the corner, she gasped.

Both Black and White were standing in the prison hall, hovering over a prisoner who was lying limp on the ground. She could see multiple slashes all over his body with blood seeping through his clothing. He didn't move, only painfully twitching his limps every few seconds. She watched as Black grinned cruelly as he brought the whip down once more, even though the prisoner had obviously had enough. She heard the same cracking sound as the whip tore through the air, followed by the snapping sound as it came into contact with the man's flesh. She flinches at the sound, and the keys slipped from her hand, hitting the ground with a loud clink. The Joker's heads snapped up as they heard the noise.

"Red! What are you doing out here!?" Black demanded, but Red ignored him. She lifted a shaky finger and pointed at him.

"Y-you promised..." She stuttered, on the verge of tears.

"Huh? What does that even mean?! Get out of here!" Black shouted again as he stepped in front of the bleeding man to block her view.

"You promised!" She said again, louder this time.

"You promised you wouldn't hurt anyone anymore!" She shouted, tears beginning to spill out of her eyes.

"Look, Red I-" Black started, but Red didn't want to hear it. She turned and began to run off before he could finish.

"Red! Get back here!"

"Sweetheart, it's not what you think!"

Red ignored their calls as the prison vanished around her and she continued to run out of the circus into the forest. She didn't know where she was going, but she didn't care. She couldn't face them, not right now. Why? Why couldn't they have just kept their promise? Things had just gone back to normal, and now this had to happen. Of course she knew how scary they could be, but she usually just forgot about it, or rather, she made herself forget. But this, coupled with the memories that had just come back to her, made it impossible to ignore. She hadn't been scared of the memories, but that was different. That man was an evil, horrible person that had hurt her severely. But that prisoner, what had he done? Even if he had tried to escape, that was way too harsh. The man wasn't even armed!

"Red, get your little a** back here now or I swear I'll-!" Red interrupted Black's threat by reaching up and ripping the mask out of her hair and tossing it to the ground behind her.

Red didn't stop even when she felt that her legs were going to give out underneath her. She wasn't going to rest until she was sure that they wouldn't get to her. She couldn't even see where she was going as she was blinded by the tears that streamed down her face, resulting in her tripping multiple times. She merely got up and continued running.

Eventually, she couldn't run anymore and dropped to the ground next to a tree. She became aware of the stinging in her palms from the multiple falls and the pain in her knees that were covered in dried blood. Her clothes were dirty and her face was a mess with tears. She didn't know how long she had been running, it could have been as little as a few minutes, or as long as an hour. The area was completely unfamiliar, which was a good sign. If she didn't know where she was, the Jokers probably didn't either. She wished someone was there to comfort her and tend to her wounds, but that wish was difficult to fulfill when the ones who were supposed to do exactly that, were the reason she was like this in the first place.

She nearly burst out into tears when the time of day decided to change to evening, signaling that it would soon be dark. She didn't want to go home, but she really didn't want to be stuck out in an unfamiliar part of the forest at night. She stood up shakily, and immediately regretted running so hard. Her legs ached, but she needed to find somewhere to stay for the night.

She walked forward slowly, keeping an eye out for anything that could provide shelter. She was overjoyed to discover a path not far from where she stood. She didn't know where it would lead, but hopefully it would be somewhere safe.

Following the path, she soon found herself in front of a house, isolated in the middle of the forest. It was a decently sized victorian style home, not huge, but not exactly small either. It also looked very tattered, as if it hadn't been touched in years. Shingles were missing from the roof and the paint was faded and chipped. Some of the shutters had fallen off the house and a window or two had been broken. Despite it's rough look, it felt somehow welcoming. It was also quite obviously abandoned. She walked up the front steps to the door and knocked, just in case. Nobody answered of course, so she started to fiddle with the knob. Locked.

Red wasn't prepared to give up just yet and went around the back to find another way in. Sure enough, there was a back door. Luckily for her, it swung open with ease. It nearly fell off it's hinges, as if had taken a great deal of abuse in the past. Stepping inside, she found herself in the kitchen. There wasn't anything particularity interesting about it, but it made her feel uneasy.

As expected, it turned to night, filling the house with darkness. Red began to panic slightly and hurried over to the light switch. She flicked it frantically, but of course it didn't work. Running over to the kitchen drawers, she began pulling them open hoping to find a flashlight or a candle. She was surprised to see that they were filled with utensils. Opening the cabinets above, she found them to be fully stocked as well. She had expected this house to be empty. The previous owners must have left in a hurry.

She continued to search until she came upon a draw which contained a box of matches. Her brothers had warned her not to play with them, and she didn't even have a candle to light, but so far they seemed to be the only source of light in the house. She took the box and lit a match. Normally she would be nervous handling fire, but she was too scared of the darkness to care.

She began to feel a bit light headed and decided to find some place to rest. Moving from the kitchen into the next room, she found herself in the main room. There was a staircase across the room that lead to the second floor of the house, which was where Red assumed the bedrooms would be. Holding the match in front of her to guide her, she headed upstairs. Three doors greeted her as she reached the top of the steps. She didn't know which room was which, but for some reason she felt compelled to open the very last one. Upon opening it, she found that it was a little girl's room.

The walls were light blue with a floral pattern and the room was decorated with old wooden furniture. There was a tall wardrobe in the back of the room next to a vanity that was cluttered with plastic jewelry. A few dolls laid on the floor next to a wooden doll house and there were a couple of broken plastic teacups placed in front of the dolls, suggesting that their owner had been hosting a tea party. But what Red really cared about was the bed. It was twin sized, with sheets that matched the walls and a white comforter decorated with light blue bows. A few light blue and white pillows were placed at the head of the bed as well.

Feeling as though she were going to faint, she stumbled over to the bed and blew out the match before lying down. Although a tad dusty, it was comfortable. She would only stay here until it was light outside. Then, she supposed, she would try to find her way out of the forest. She wasn't planning on going back to the circus, but maybe she would go stay at the tower for a couple of days. She had yet to forgive the Jokers, and now she was a bit scared that they would be angry with her for running off.

She felt oddly tired. It had only been a short time since she had woken up. Putting her head against a pillow, she shut her eyes. Despite how scared she was in the old, creepy house that felt so unnerving, sleep overcame her almost immediately.

…

She had found herself in a small, dark space. It didn't allow much room for movement, so she had to keep her knees against her chest and kept her head down. Everything was pitch black, except for a small stream of light that peeked in through a crack. She heard someone outside the small space, but she was too afraid to look. She felt like she was hiding from whoever was out there.

"That was easier than expected." An eerily familiar sounding voice said from outside.

"Yeah, hopefully that'll give them the message." Another voice said. Red gasped upon realizing who it was. She considering coming out of her hiding place, but something held her back. That thing was fear.

"Hey, the f*** was that?" The voice said upon hearing her gasp. She heard footsteps approaching her where she was hiding and her fear increased. She curled up into a tighter ball and inched away from the stream of light. She held her breath as he came closer and closer until he was right outside her hiding place. Suddenly, the little door was pulled open and a hand reached in. It grabbed her by the arm and yanked her out. She tumbled out onto the floor and looked up to see the Jokers standing over her. Before she could say anything, she found herself staring down the barrel of a gun, which was held by Black. He sneered at her with an icy glare. His look was even colder than when she had first met him. It was as if he was staring down at a piece of trash on the street. This was not the loving, caring Black that she had gotten so used to. This Black did not care about her at all. The last thing she heard was a loud bang, and then everything faded away.

…

Red sat up with a jolt, still shaking from her nightmare. Why was this happening? It was supposed to be over. The bad dreams were supposed to stop. She nearly called out for her older brothers before realizing where she was. The room was still dark, meaning the time of day had yet to change. She must not have been asleep for very long, just long enough to have that dream. She wasn't sure what to do now, as there was no way she was going to try falling asleep again.

Then she heard a noise from the first floor. She listened closer and heard it again. It sounded like creaking floorboards, as if someone else was in the house. She stiffened in fear as she went over the possibilities of what it could be in her head. She glanced around the darkened room for a place to hide. Her eyes landed on the wardrobe across the room and hopped off the bed. She opened the door, which emitted a noticeable creak before ducking inside. Praying that the intruder hadn't hear the noise, she backed into the corner of the wardrobe.

The creaking got louder as they walked up the stairs. A few moments later, she heard two pairs of footsteps enter the room followed by a faint glow of light creeping in from underneath the door. Her clock caught in her throat as the footsteps began walking her way. She tried to back up further, which only resulted in the wardrobe creaking once again. The door opened and she was blinded by the bright light that shone in her face, causing her to cover her eyes. She screamed as a pair of hands snatched her up, but was quickly quieted by a familiar voice.

"Hey, calm down sis. It's just us." Black said in a strangely kind voice without a hint of anger. White must have managed to calm him down before they found her. Despite how upset she had been with them just a few hours earlier, she was so happy that it was only them that she clung to him anyway.

"Let's just go home sweetheart." White said. Red didn't protest as she was carried out of the room. She didn't have the strength to run away anymore. She was too tired and scared to do anything but lay her head on Black's shoulder and try to relax as they carried her down the steps. Before they got to the first floor, the time of day changed once again.

As they entered the kitchen, Black stopped in his tracks. In broad daylight, he was finally able to see his surroundings. He looked around for a moment before turning to White.

"Does this place seem... familiar to you?" Black asked. White thought for a moment, taking in the area around him. Eventually, he stopped and shrugged.

"I suppose it does. But, we should focus on the matter at hand. We need to attend to poor little Red's injuries." White said, looking at Red's scraped up knees and skinned palms. Black agreed and shrugged it off. With that, the Jokers took Red out of the house, choosing to ignore the uneasiness that they both felt inside that house, pretending that the house held no significance whatsoever. It was just an old house in the woods, and nothing more.


End file.
